The launch follows the release of brewer Oskar Blues’ Dale’s Pale Ale in the royal pint cans, which holds 19.2oz or 568ml, last year.

Ball claims to be the only can manufacturer in North America who makes the royal pint, which is approximately the height of a 24oz can and the diameter of a 16oz can.

The new can will feature the same signature graphics as the current Mama’s Little Yella Pils 12oz aluminium can for the brewery, which is based in Colorado in the US.

The larger 568ml can, or ‘Stovepipe’ as we call it, is a perfect package for Mama’s Little Yella Pils,” said Chad Melis, marketing director for Oskar Blues.

“Putting the gently hopped and low alcohol (ABV 5.3%) Mama’s in the larger, easily recyclable can was a natural progression, and it allows our consumers to take it places glass can’t go.”

“Oskar Blues recognized the beer-protecting benefits of cans more than 10 years ago, and have continued to partner with Ball to pioneer the category with the Royal Pint,” said Robert M. Miles, senior vice president sales, for Ball’s metal beverage packaging division, Americas.

“Packaging is an important component of branding, and the 568ml can offers our North American customers a way to distinguish their brands.”

By Luke Walsh

The can maker has also agreed to form a joint venture with the Envases del Plata Group in Argentina. This will combine both companies’ aerosol packaging operations in Argentina and Brazil.

The acquisition is expected to be completed by the end of October 2012, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.

“These actions are consistent with our Drive for 10 strategy to broaden Ball’s geographic reach and expand into new products and capabilities,” says John Hayes (pictured), Ball’s president and chief executive officer. “The acquisition in Mexico will provide a platform to grow our North American extruded aluminium packaging business, and in Argentina the new joint venture will leverage the combined strengths of Ball’s steel aerosol can business in Argentina with Envases’ extruded aluminium aerosol business in Argentina and Brazil.”

The San Luis Potosi plant produces extruded aluminium aerosol cans for personal care and household products to customers in North, Central and South America. It employs approximately 150 people and operates five manufacturing lines.

The plant will become part of Ball’s Food and Household Products Packaging Division, Americas, and will complement Ball’s existing aluminium aerosol business in Europe, Ball Aerocan, and the North American extruded aluminium aerosol slug business that Ball acquired in 2010.

Ball is the largest supplier of extruded aluminum slugs in the world, and this acquisition provides a new end market for Ball’s products including the company’s ReAl technology that enables the use of recycled material and lightweighting in the manufacture of extruded aluminium packaging.

The new Argentine joint venture, called Envases-Ball, will include Ball’s steel aerosol can plants in Buenos Aires and San Luis, Argentina, and Envases’ extruded aluminium packaging plants in the same locations and in Manaus, Brazil. Envases will own 75% of the joint venture, and Ball will own 25%. Ball will provide technical and other assistance to the business and under the terms of the agreement can elect to acquire or exit the joint venture in the future.

The company is consolidating its 12oz beverage can and end production capacity to meet changing market demand.

Ball’s metal beverage packaging plants in Columbus, Ohio, and Gainesville, Florida, will stop production by the end of the fourth quarter of 2012, subject to customer requirements. The Columbus plant employs approximately 110 people and currently operates two of four existing lines that produce standard 12oz cans. The Gainesville plant employs approximately 125 people and produces several different beverage can ends for standard can sizes.

Ball expects to record a total after-tax charge of approximately $30 million, primarily for employee severance and benefits, facility shut down costs and other actions.

“These actions are in response to a loss of standard 12oz beverage can volume beginning 1 January, 2013, as well as continued growth in speciality beverage can packaging, which is an increasingly important part of our business,” says Raymond Seabrook (pictured above), executive vice president and chief operating officer, global packaging. “We will continue to actively manage our overall cost structure, pursue new speciality can opportunities and better position our manufacturing footprint to meet changing market conditions to offset the impact of the volume loss.”

What do you think? Have your say below.

The new technology enables the use of recycled aluminium in the manufacture of extruded aluminium packaging for aerosols. The resulting new metal alloy exhibits increased strength and allows lightweighting of the container without affecting package integrity. Ball’s technology breakthrough will allow the company to lightweight its extruded aluminium aerosol packaging by as much as 10%, with further lightweighting expected in the future.

Currently, almost all extruded aluminium aerosol packaging is made from virgin aluminium “slugs.”  These metal discs are impact extruded to produce packaging for aerosol products ranging from body sprays, sun screens, air fresheners and numerous other markets. Ball, the world’s largest producer of aluminium slugs and of recyclable aluminium beverage cans, will use aluminium recycled from Ball’s global beverage can operations to produce the company’s new slugs.

“Our ReAl brand slugs will improve the carbon footprint of increasingly popular extruded aluminium packaging by enabling us to reduce the amount of metal in the package and further enhance the environmental performance of our company,” says Raymond Seabrook, the company’s chief operating officer, global packaging. “This breakthrough comes after months of collaboration between our global metal technology experts and innovation teams, and brings additional value to the supply chain by adding recycled aluminium from our beverage can plants into our slug manufacturing processes and by lightweighting our extruded aluminium packaging. We are excited to bring this new solution to our customers around the world in the coming months.”

Ball will begin producing cans made with ReAl slugs initially in Europe, and has applied for patents on its ReAl packaging.

The flat top can, which must be opened with a tool called a churchkey, was first inroduced in 1935. It remained standard until the pull-tab came to market in the mid 1960s. This is the first time the tinplate can has been available in almost 50 years.

The US craft beer brewer was co-founded by Portland-based Justin Hawkins and actor Adrian Grenier. Churchkey’s handcrafted Pilsner-style beer is being packaged in the three-piece cans, which are produced by Ball.

“It’s about the joy of drinking good beer – from the people you drink it with, to where you drink it, and with this unique package, how you open it,” says Hawkins, Churchkey’s co-founder and creative director. “We didn’t make these traditions, but are keeping them alive with Churchkey.”

According to the company, a churchkey is the opener used to open a flat top beer can. It’s called a churchkey for several reasons. The original openers used on bottles looked similar to large old fashion keys used by monks to open churches, as well as keep the beer they brewed safe. The name was then adopted to all tools used to open beer.

“Increasingly, beer drinkers are learning that cracking open a craft beer in a Ball can – whether in an aluminum or steel can – is like tapping a fresh keg, you get exactly what you expected,” adds Gary Woeste, vice president, sales and marketing, for Ball’s metal food and household products packaging division, Americas. “With the can’s many advantages, including freshness, portability, high recycling rates, brand building graphics and beneficial economics to name just a few, craft brewers and consumers continue to choose cans.”

The cans can currently only be purchased in the Seattle and Portland areas.

The US firm is switching from 10oz glass bottles to cold-activated 16oz aluminium cans.

Hiball Energy is a producer of energy drinks for the health-conscious consumer. The company’s premium, refreshing, sparkling energy waters and juices are made with organic and fair trade ingredients.

“Our choice to move from bottles to cans is the result of consumer demand for a larger size with a more portable packaging option,” says Todd Berardi, founder and president of Hiball. “Hiball’s customers ultimately win by getting 60% more volume, 30% lower cost per ounce, and 100% more energy fuelled by premium organic and fair trade ingredients – all packaged in lighter, more portable and 100% recyclable aluminium cans.”

The can features cold activation graphics using thermochromic ink by Chromatic Technologies, (CTI). When cans reach a certain temperature, the bubbles on the can graphics turn from white to blue to indicate that the beverage has reached its ideal drinking temperature.

“The aluminium can is the natural packaging solution for sparkling energy water and organic sparkling energy drinks,” adds Rob Miles, senior vice president, sales for Ball’s metal beverage packaging division, Americas. “The durability and portability of the can combined with its 100% endless recyclability solidifies cans as the perfect eco-friendly container for energy drinks and waters.”

Avery Brewing, which is based in Boulder, Colorado, struggled to find a can manufacturer that could capture its distinctive graphic vision – until partnering with Ball Corporation’s Graphics Centre of Excellence.

“Our passion for our brands and the high-quality of our craft beer demands the same intensity in our packaging and Ball shared that dedication,” says Adam Avery, president of Avery Brewing. “Having Ball’s extensive technology and expertise under one roof was also key in choosing Ball to take our graphic ideas to the next level on Ball’s sustainable cans.”

Avery tapped into the creative minds at Ball to create can graphics using Ball’s Eyeris enhanced graphics printing. The Eyeris printing technique improved the definition and fine detail of Avery’s beverage can graphics – creating a 360-degree miniature billboard with every can for distinctive, on-the-shelf differentiation of Avery’s brands, including India Pale Ale, White Rascal, Ellie’s Brown Ale and Joe’s Premium American Pilsner.

“Advanced graphics capabilities are a game-changer for premium drinks – such as Avery’s craft beers – as craft brewers build unique brands and compete for mindshare from consumers,” says Robert Miles, senior vice president, sales for Ball’s metal beverage packaging division, Americas. “Aluminium cans offer a 360-degree billboard for brands to establish and build upon their brand message, and are the number one recycled beverage container in the US – a fact that is increasingly important to sustainability-minded consumers. Our expanded Graphic Centre of Excellence, along with similar facilities in Europe and Asia, leverage the advantages of the can and provide industry-leading innovation that helps build brands.”

Miles (pictured) joined Ball Packaging Europe in 1994 and was vice president, sales, metal beverage packaging from 2005 until early 2011, when he moved to North America as vice president, sales, metal beverage packaging.

In his expanded North American sales role, Miles will continue to oversee the strategic activities of the metal beverage sales group with added responsibility for overall relationship management with Ball’s key global customers.

Ball Corporation is a supplier of high quality packaging for beverage, food and household products customers, and of aerospace and other technologies and services, primarily for the US government.

The annual Canny Awards are designed to promote craft beer in cans and highlight the high-quality, captivating graphics on canned craft beer.

The awards will be presented during the Craft Brewers Conference, which are being held in San Diego, California from 2-5 May.

The Canny Awards honour craft beer and the distinctive graphics created in an industry known for unique brands and brews. The competition is sponsored by four leading suppliers to the canned craft beer industry – Ball Corporation, Cask Brewing Systems, Hi-Cone and Mumm Products.

The competition is open to any canned craft beer in North America. Entries are now being accepted until 31 March. Craft brewers can submit up to three entries per brewery and may choose from seven categories to enter. One design may be entered in multiple categories (up to three).

Independent judges will award an overall can design trophy to the top three designs, as well as first-place awards in each of the seven categories:

• Best shelf presence
• Best graphics design
• Best use of colour
• Best seasonal
• Best character
• Best illustration of beer name
• Best local tie-in (state, town, geography, local activity)

Winners will receive a custom Canny Award trophy that includes their can graphics and recognition at the Craft Brewers Conference and in industry publications. For a complete set of guidelines, rules and an entry form, search for Canny Awards on Facebook and Twitter.

And although net profit slipped 5.4% to $466 million chief executive John Hayes (pictured) is confident about the outlook for 2012.

He said: “Ball Corporation’s 2011 full-year comparable earnings per share increased more than 15% compared to 2010, in an economic environment that remains challenging across much of the world. Our improved 2011 performance was the result of maximising value in our existing businesses, expanding into new products and capabilities, broadening our geographic reach, aligning ourselves with the right customers and markets and leveraging our technological expertise – all key strategies in our Drive for 10 vision to achieve continued long-term growth.

“Our Drive for 10 vision focuses on continuing Ball’s strong performance over the next decade, and the momentum we built in 2011 provides us with a strong start toward that goal. We expect investments made in growth projects in 2011 to benefit 2012 results as those projects come on line, and our Drive for 10 actions will play a key role in helping Ball achieve our goal of 10 to 15% earnings per share growth in 2012 and beyond.”

Fourth quarter 2011 net earnings attributable to Ball Corporation were $77.5 million, on sales of $2.1 billion, compared to $92.2 million on sales of $2.0 billion, in the fourth quarter of 2010. On a comparable basis, Ball’s fourth quarter results were net earnings of $78.1 million, compared to $94.4 million, in the fourth quarter of 2010. Weaker 12oz beverage can volumes in North America and Europe and six fewer accounting days dampened fourth quarter results and were partially offset by strong operating performance and continued growth in speciality packaging.

Metal beverage packaging, Americas and Asia, comparable segment operating earnings were $481.7 million for full-year 2011 on sales of $4.4 billion, compared to $418.3 million in 2010 on sales of $3.8 billion. For the fourth quarter, comparable earnings were $119.9 million on sales of $1.1 billion, compared to $117.0 million on sales of $1.0 billion in 2010.

In Europe, comparable segment results in 2011 were operating earnings of $243.7 million on sales of $2.0 billion, compared to $213.5 million on sales of $1.7 billion in 2010. For the fourth quarter, comparable operating earnings in 2011 were $41.0 million on sales of $451.0 million, compared to $42.3 million on sales of $408.5 million in the fourth quarter of 2010.

During the fourth quarter, continued soft beverage can volumes were partially offset by strong demand for extruded aluminium packaging. Ball will relocate the company’s European headquarters from Germany to Switzerland during 2012 to centralize administrative functions and align more closely with customers.

Metal food and household products packaging, Americas, comparable segment results for 2011 were operating earnings of $133.7 million on sales of $1.4 billion, compared to $129.1 million in 2010 on sales of $1.4 billion. For the fourth quarter of 2011, comparable segment results were operating earnings of $13.1 million on sales of $322.8 million, compared to $24.6 million on sales of $352.6 million in the same period of 2010.